Berkshire County Highlights for Families:
October 2017

Find out about community events and learning opportunities happening throughout Berkshire County for the month of October. We’ll be adding to this list as the month progresses, so be sure to check back each week. Do you have an event you’d like to include in this list? Email us at info@hilltownfamilies.org.

To find out what’s happening throughout the four counties of Western MA, check our comprehensive list of Weekly Suggested Events, published every Thursday!

Berkshire Family Fun, a project of Hilltown Families, is sponsored in part by MASS MoCA:

Berkshire Family Fun is also supported in part by a grant from the Hinsdale/Peru, Mount Washington, Monterey, North Berkshire, Pittsfield, Washington, and Windsor Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

North Berkshire

Tuesday, October 24, 7pmPERFORMANCE/LIBRARY ADVENTURES
Nutshell Playhouse presents “Top Bananas.” Join the Adams Free Library and the Nutshell Playhouse for a fun-filled performance of visual and musical delights, featuring a puppet that morphs, a snake that sings, a saw that plays music, tap-dancing, new and old songs and an abundance of silly shenanigans. “Top Bananas” is performed by Berkshire County actors Stefanie Weber, Maizy Scarpa and Mark Hohlstein with live music by Don Jordan. This is fun for the whole family. 413-743-8345. Adams Free Library. 92 Park St. Adams, MA (FREE)

Saturday, October 21, 5:30pmTRAIN RIDE/PARANORMAL
All aboard to all paranormal enthusiasts! Berkshire Scenic Railway’s Spirit Train will be departing North Adams for a lantern-lit walk through Southview Cemetery with psychic medium Julie MacDonald Julie will teach passengers how to tap into the spirit world during this special evening event and will be open to interpret any messages coming through from the “other side.” To enjoy the experience, passengers must be fully ambulatory and be able to climb up and down stairs. Guests are also reminded to dress for the weather. Train leaves promptly at 5:30pm and will return in approximately 2 hours. Online reservations are encouraged and tickets can be purchased at www.hoosacvalleytrainride.com. 98 Crowley Ave. North Adams, MA ($)

Friday, October 27, 6-9pmPLACEMAKING/HALLOWEEN
Placemaking can happen when we combine downtown districts with community centers and holiday seasons. ROOTS Teen Center hosts a Haunted Harvest Festival in downtown North Adams. Activities will be located in different storefronts throughout Eagle Street and the general downtown. 43 Eagle Street. North Adams, MA (FREE)

Friday, October 6th, 13th, 20th, & 27th, 8pmASTRONOMY
While some people lament the shorter days of fall and winter, longer nights provide more chances to learn about astronomy through observations of the night sky! The Old Hopkins Observatory and planetarium at Williams College are rich resources for learning about astronomy, as well as the history of the topic. The Hopkins Observatory, built in 1836-38 by the first professor of astronomy at Williams College, Albert Hopkins, is the oldest extant observatory in the United States. Astronomy students at the College will host this free show, open to the public. Attendees will learn about topics such as retrograde motions of the planets, phases of the moon, the varying temperatures/colors of stars, locations of neighboring galaxies, and more. Audiences will be treated to shows from the high-precision Zeiss Skymaster ZKP3/B opto-mechanical planetarium projector. 413-597-2188. Main Street. Williamstown, MA. (FREE)

Saturday, October 14, 5:45pm & 7pmHALLOWEEN/PARANORMAL
Besides dressing up in costume, carving pumpkins and eating sweets, there are lots of ways to celebrate Halloween. Some celebrations may even be educational, as well as entertaining. “Ghost tours” can be combined with real historic learning. The Mount, once a home to writers such as Edith Wharton, as well as actors, wealthy families, hardworking servants, and teenage girls, will be providing 90-minute ghost tour. Tours starts at the Stable and ends at the Main House. 413-551-5111. 2 Plunkett Street. Lenox, MA. ($)

Saturday, October 28, 5:45pm & 7pmHALLOWEEN/PARANORMAL
Besides dressing up in costume, carving pumpkins and eating sweets, there are lots of ways to celebrate Halloween. Some celebrations may even be educational, as well as entertaining. “Ghost tours” can be combined with real historic learning. The Mount, once a home to writers such as Edith Wharton, as well as actors, wealthy families, hardworking servants, and teenage girls, will be providing 90-minute ghost tour. Tours starts at the Stable and ends at the Main House. 413-551-5111. 2 Plunkett Street. Lenox, MA. ($)

Tuesday, October 31, 5pmHALLOWEEN READING
Annual Halloween Reading at The Mount. All are welcome for a reading of a Wharton ghost story. This haunting treat will be read by longtime friend of The Mount and Shakespeare & Company actress Ariel Bock. 2 Plunkett Street. Lenox, MA ($)

Tuesday, October 31, 5:30-7pmTRICK OR TREAT
Rag shag parade begins at St. Ann’s at 5pm (arrive a few minutes early to line up!). Parade goes through town and ends up at LCC where goodies will be passed out. Don’t forget to “Trick or Treat the Streets” where Lenox merchants will be open and ready with treats for all! Lenox, MA (FREE)

Tuesday, October 31, 8pm & 10pmHALLOWEEN/PARANORMAL
Besides dressing up in costume, carving pumpkins and eating sweets, there are lots of ways to celebrate Halloween. Some celebrations may even be educational, as well as entertaining. “Ghost tours” can be combined with real historic learning. The Mount, once a home to writers such as Edith Wharton, as well as actors, wealthy families, hardworking servants, and teenage girls, will be providing 90-minute ghost tour. Tours starts at the Stable and ends at the Main House. 413-551-5111. 2 Plunkett Street. Lenox, MA. ($)

Sunday, October 1, 2-4pmSOCIAL STUDIES/MENTAL ILLNESS
Why does society stigmatize certain individuals, groups, and conditions? How is stigma used to marginalize and silence difference and dissent? What impact does this use of stigma have on people living with mental illnesses? What can we do to challenge stigma in our community? Join in a community conversation, presented by the City of Pittsfield’s Human Rights Commission, and hear what a panel of mental health advocates have to share. For more information please contact Drew Herzig – drewherzig@yahoo.com. All are welcomed. Berkshire Museum. 39 South Street. Pittsfield, MA. (FREE)

Friday, October 13, 7pmMUSIC STUDIES/DRUMMING
West African drum and dance combines percussive instruments with choreographed movement. This is a highly collaborative art form. The annual Berkshire Drum and Dance Festival will bring together over 75 drumming artists to captivate audiences. The 2017 theme is “Honoring Women in Drum and Dance.” Proceeds from this event benefit the Tamarack Hollow Nature and Cultural Center. Doors open at 6pm for the world marketplace, silent auction, nature info displays and at 6:30pm there will be a showing of the Tamarack Hollow video in the theater. Berkshire Community College Boland Theater in the Koussevitsky Arts Center. Pittsfield, MA. ($)

Saturday, October 21, 10am-12noonCREATIVE-FREE PLAY/ARCHITECTURE
It’s Pop-Up Play Day at the Berkshire Museum. Supports creative-free play, children can build and rebuild with the large blocks and colorful architectural building components. Pop-Up Play Day is included in regular museum admission. Pittsfield. ($)

Saturday, October 21, 6-7pmMUSEUM ADVENTURES
Flashlight Scavenger Hunt at the Berkshire Museum! Explore the Museum’s galleries with only a flashlight in a spooky, after-hours adventure. Go down the rabbit hole and explore the new Morgan Bulkeley show and resident mummy, Pahat, from a darker perspective. 413-443-7171. 39 South Street. Rte. 7. Pittsfield, MA (>$)

Friday, October 27, 7pmHALLOWEEN PARADE
Halloween is not just about dressing in a fun costume and getting candy. The holiday gives kids a chance to safely explore their neighborhoods and downtown, with parents, and meet neighbors. Halloween parades similarly get people out into town. Pittsfield Parks and Recreation will be hosting this costumed parade on Tyler Street. Watch the procession of spooky, silly, and creative costumes and dress as your favorite character. Pittsfield, MA. (FREE)

Saturday, October 28, 11am-12noonSTEM/MUSEUM ADVENTURES
Kitchen Ka-Boom at the Berkshire Museum! Join in for some science fun and experiments. All experiments are kid-safe and can be recreated using items found in almost any kitchen. Reservations are requested. 413-443-7171. 39 South Street. Rte. 7. Pittsfield, MA ($)

Saturday, October 28. 6-7pmMUSEUM ADVENTURES
Flashlight Scavenger Hunt at the Berkshire Museum! Explore the Museum’s galleries with only a flashlight in a spooky, after-hours adventure. Go down the rabbit hole and explore the new Morgan Bulkeley show and resident mummy, Pahat, from a darker perspective. 413-443-7171. 39 South Street. Rte. 7. Pittsfield, MA (>$)

Saturday, October 7th, 10am-5pmPLACEMAKING/HARVEST FESTIVAL
Harvest festivals mark the seasons and tune us to our sense of place. The 83rd annual Berkshire Botanical Garden Harvest Festival celebrates local agriculture and the culture of the Berkshires. A tag sale and and silent auction allow the community to engage in sustainable practices, while the farmers’ market and plant sale support skillsharing and collaborative consumption of knowledge share by local farmers and gardeners. Interested in service-based learning? The festival has opportunities to volunteer, connecting older teens and life-long learners with a community of gardeners that support conservation and nature-based learning. All proceeds from the festival will benefit the Garden’s education program. 413-298-3926. 5 West Stockbridge Road. Stockbridge, MA. (<$; Children under 12 and members FREE)

Sunday, October 8, 10am-5pmPLACEMAKING/HARVEST FESTIVAL
Harvest festivals mark the seasons and tune us to our sense of place. The 83rd annual Berkshire Botanical Garden Harvest Festival celebrates local agriculture and the culture of the Berkshires. A tag sale and and silent auction allow the community to engage in sustainable practices, while the farmers’ market and plant sale support skillsharing and collaborative consumption of knowledge share by local farmers and gardeners. Interested in service-based learning? The festival has opportunities to volunteer, connecting older teens and life-long learners with a community of gardeners that support conservation and nature-based learning. All proceeds from the festival will benefit the Garden’s education program. 413-298-3926. 5 West Stockbridge Road. Stockbridge, MA. (<$; Children under 12 and members FREE)

Friday, October 13, 5-8pmHALLOWEEN/PLACEMAKING
Fall and Halloween celebrations don’t have to be scary. You and your family can enjoy a guided walk of the Pumpkin Trail at Naumkeag, and learn about various woodland creatures who reside there. Costumes are encouraged and reservations are recommended. Guided walks will take place every 15 minutes and the event will occur rain or shine. Flashlights are encouraged. The trail is not stroller friendly and does have uneven footing. 413-298-3239. 5 Prospect Hill. Stockbridge, MA. (Adult $; Child <$; child under 3 FREE)

Friday, October 20, 6:30-9pmHALLOWEEN/HAUNTED HOUSENaumkeag’s Haunted House returns with more scares, bigger haunts and new surprises that are not for the faint of heart! This year, we’re moving things into the mansion itself in addition to a new, frightening path through our historic gardens. Don’t miss the Southern Berkshire’s only Haunted House! Recommended ages 12 and up. 413-298-3239. 5 Prospect Hill. Stockbridge, MA. (Adult $; Child <$; child under 3 FREE)

Saturday, October 28, 6:30-9pmHALLOWEEN/HAUNTED HOUSENaumkeag’s Haunted House returns with more scares, bigger haunts and new surprises that are not for the faint of heart! This year, we’re moving things into the mansion itself in addition to a new, frightening path through our historic gardens. Don’t miss the Southern Berkshire’s only Haunted House! Recommended ages 12 and up. 413-298-3239. 5 Prospect Hill. Stockbridge, MA. (Adult $; Child <$; child under 3 FREE)

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Welcome to Hilltown Families, an award-winning community-based education network, serving the four counties of Western Massachusetts.

Founded in 2005 by Sienna Wildfield, Hilltown Families believes in creating resilient and sustainable communities by strengthening a sense of place through methods of community engagement that supports interests and values.

By highlighting the embedded learning found in community-based resources, events, and opportunities, learning becomes inclusive, accessible, and intergenerational while remaining relevant to the learner. When community members are brought together through shared interests, meaningful connections are fostered through a shared history based in community engagement.

Awarded the "Essential Agent of Change Award" by the MDPH's Massachusetts Essentials for Childhood, Hilltown Families is recognized as a leading family strengthening initiative in the region, promoting "positive parenting through the social norm of community social connectedness."

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